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TO THE 



OOLCJUED PEOPLE 



OF TBS 



STATE OF PENNSY1.VANIA. 






— ^^jw — 



PHILADELPHIA : 
XSBBIHBW AHD SUHN, PHI1»TXB», 

No, 7 Carters' Alley, 
1837. 






1 ^ ? ^ ^ 




S^a5 



"T- ADDRESS, 

^To the Coloured People of the CommonweaUh of 

Pennsylvania. 
"^ 

The past, the present and the future condition of the coloured 
population of our country, is a subject interesting to the coloured 
people generally, and also to every friend of equal justice and 
rational liberty in tliese United States. 

Let us cast the mantle of charity over the past: it cannot now 
be recalled, however it may be deplored: and as "two wrongs will 
never make one right," let us leave what has been already suffered 
io Him to whom all men must render "an account for the deeds 
done in the body." 

The present situation of the coloured portion of the people of 
this country, is very peculiar. — Suffering hardships almost beyond 
endurance, indignities multiplied beyond description, while their 
numbers are increasing with almost unparalleled rapidity, you re- 
mind us of the Lord's people when sutfering uniler Egyptian bon- 
dage : and as it was with them, so will it be with you, if you can 
be preserved in patience, until the Lord's own time shall arrive — 
and come it ivill. 

There have been many projects proposed to hasten this time; 
some of them may have had that tendency, but others as evidently 
have retarded it. 

It is very desirable that some efiectual means should be adopted 
to aid in bringing about such a state of public feeling as will induce 
the whites freely and peaceably to elevate you from that state of 
thraldom and degradation to whirh, as a people, you have been so 
long subjected, and allow you modestly and thankfully to take that 
station in society which your and our Creator designed for you. 

That clause in our Declaration of Independence which declares 
that " all men are created free and equal," as well as that of still 
higher authority, that God " hath made of one blood all men," ap- 
plies no less to you, than to us. — "God is just, and his justice will 
not sleep for ever." Therefore be very careful to do nothing that 
will tend to retard the great work of emancipation, but "stand still 
and see the salvation of the Lord." — Whenever you are restored 
to your lost rights, it will be His work. The arm of llesh cannot 
accomplish it; but "liis arm is not shortened that it cannot save, 
neither is his ear heavy ih it it cannot hear." lie is mighty to 
save, and able to deliver, to the uttermost, all who put their trust 
in Tliin. 



4 ADDRESS TO THE 

The best means you can adopt to promote the great work of uni- 
versal emancipation — not only emancipation from actual personal 
bondage, but from the degradation which has hitherto so unjustly 
attached to your colour, is in its nature so simple, that vou may 
think it incapable of producing such great elTects. But when we 
consider that the most simple machines are often the most 
powerful, and the greater the simplicity ^generally speaking) 
the more durable and effectual; let us not hastily draw un- 
favourable conclusions from the fact that the plan proposed is 
simple, is easily tried, and is beyond the power of your enemies 
to prevent, to pervert, or to frustrate. 

It is not to be accomplished by using persuasion or threats to 
prevail upon you to remove to a foreign land; to break up your 
attachments here, and to force you to form new connexions in 
Africa: that is no more your native country than England, Ireland, 
or Germany is the native country of the whites. Your forefathers 
came from Africa, ours from Europe: but it does not therefore fol- 
low that you are Africans, or we Europeans. 

Neither is it by an appeal to your numerical strength that you 
will promote immediate emancipation. On the contrary, such an 
appeal would be the most effectual means you could adopt to rivet 
the chains of those who are in bondage, and to raise an insur- 
mountable barrier to prevent those of you who are free, from en- 
joying that estimation in society which a constant, steady course 
of good conduct on your part cannot fail, sooner or later, to secure 
for you. 

The worst thing you can do is, to engage in broils and commo- 
tions — avoid as far as possible all heats of passion, and all feelings 
of revenge. There is nothing which would please your enemies 
more than to be able to goad you on to some rash act — therefore 
♦'be ve wise as serpents, and harmless as doves." 

Some of you may not live to see all the blessed effects of your 
good conduct, but the ciiild is now born who will live to see a 
perfect equality so far as the effects of colour are concerned, pro- 
vided you could, one and all, bo prevailed upon in sincerity to 
adopt the course we recommend; and just in proportion as you 
individually do so, will tiie great work of emancipation and resli- 
tiilion advance. 

As emiijratiou to Africa is not only inexpedient, but impracticable 
to any great extent, and as you cannot and ought not liy force to 
obtain your rij-'lits, ii will be necessary to look to some other means 
of escape. Lkt kvlhv om: ok ri:i: Coi.orui.n im:oim.i:, .Male 
OR FEMALE, as far an in their poicev /its, hlhl all their 
Moral, Social, AM) liiLicioi's Dixies: — 'I'his is all you have 
to do to ensure vour lilicrly and equality. Siuii)le as it is, it is a 



COLOURED PEOPLE. 5 

course of comluct which cannot fail to bring down the blessing o( 
God upon you. 

" Honour and shame from no condition rise, 
Act well your part, there all the honour lies.^' 

Let each of you fulfil the duties of your respective allotments to 
the very best of your abilities, and God will bless your honest 
upright endeavours — " His promises are sure, — He is the same to 
day, yesterday, and forever — in Him is neither variableness nor 
shadow of turning:" and those who put their trust in him shall 
never be confounded. It is true you will not see all the great 
results of this course of conduct the moment you adopt it. If you 
plant a seed you cannot expect the next day to reap a crop from 
it. The simple course now recommended will take time to pro- 
duce the desired efl'cct, but its work will he sure: and, slow as it 
is, it will be the quickest, safest, surest mode you can adopt to 
produce the desired results. You may not be fully sensible what 
powerful effect it would have upon your white neighbours and 
friends, yea, and upon your enemies, too: — as " soft words turn 
away wratli" so would your modest unassuming deportment and 
your humble, yet firm and successful endeavours to keep the strict 
path of duty, soften the hearts of your oppressors and force upon 
their minds ilie undeniable trutli that you are of the same flesh and 
blood with themselves — that you are equally the objects of re- 
deeming love, and equally under the protection of Divine Provi- 
dence. 

Often when discussing the propriety ind necessity, the justice 
and policy, of abolishing slavery and restoring to the coloured 
people their rights, it has been found, when other arguments failed, 
that to point to the modest unassuming behaviour, upright and 
gentlemanly conduct of many worthy persons among you, has 
proved an unanswerable argument against the fears of those who 
thought that Coloured People were not capable of rightly enjoying 
those privileges which we possess. 

If you pursue the even tenor of your way, gradually rising in 
wealth and respectability, it will do much — very much — towards 
bringing about tiie restoration of your lost rights, and it will 
greatly aid us in the work of emancipating those in bondage. 

In all our cities and large villages, are to be found breilirtJii and 
sisters of colour, who, by iheir intelligence, enterprise, virlge and 
piety, endear themselves to the friends of God a'ld man. Still we 
cannot but lament that so many crowd our large towns, wliere they 
generally fill nieuial situations. Mu;-b preferable would it be if 
they loved the couuiry, and there entriiged in agricultural or me- 
chanical lal)ours. Scarcely any thing would lend to make them 



6 ADDRESS TO THE 

SO generally respected as to cultivate the soil owned by themselves, 
to work in their own shops, and to bring up their children in their 
own families. And much better would it be for those who work 
for others to be contented in the places of their location, gaining 
the confidence of the community where they reside, than to be 
roving about, seeking employment wiih no well known and esta- 
blished character. 

In dress and manners it is often noticed that portions of the peo- 
ple of colour ape those silly white people who pride themselves in 
their outward adorning to the neglect of their minds. Rather seek 
to distinguish yourselves, beloved friends, by the cultivation of 
vour minds, by honest industry, by economy, and by moral con- 
duct. In this way you will have less inclination to collect together 
for frolicking, feasting, and sinful pursuits, practices too often re- 
sorted to, we lament to say, by l)oth white and coloured persons 
who for want of mental employments live to gratify their animal 
propensities. 

We have observed with pleasure, the progress of pacific and 
temperance principles amon<r you, and we heartily desire that every 
man, w'onian and child in the land should be peaceable and tempe- 
rate in all things. Abstain, we beseech you, from all that intoxi- 
cates, from the use of tol)acco, from slave-labour products, from 
gluttony, from every vile and lillliy habit, remembering that it is 
enjoined upon us all in the scriptures, "whether ye eat or drink, 
or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God." 

We feel anxious that you should embrace every opportunity of 
placing your children in schools, both on week days and on the 
Sabbath. If all the free people of colour were able to read, write 
and cypher, to say nothing of higher branches of study, how useful 
and respectable they would l)e, even in the eyes of those who con- 
tinue to say they cannot be elevated in this country. Prove that 
you have capacities to acquire and use intclleclunl stores, that yon 
consider knowled<Tc and religion the best inheritance for your chil- 
dren, and you will not fail to gain the respect and confidence to 
which you would be entitled. 

Above all things, brin<r up your children in the fear of God, be 
yourselves lilicral supi)orlers of the institutions of tiie religion of 
Christ, and while labouring for the body forget not liie wanis and 
capacities of the immortal soul. 

It is painful to know tliat prejudices exist among the free people 
of colour with reference to each other, that we consider sinful when 
indul<,rcd in by the whites towards the coloured people. If preju- 
dicf airainst colour should not exist any where, least of all among 
you. If a black man despises a mulatto, or a mulatto a bhck man, 
how can either say to their white brethren, cast out the mole that 
is in thine eye, while they iiave a beam in their own eye. 



TB 



1.0.4 



COLOURED PEOPLE. 7 

We urgently advise all tliose whom \vc now address to contri- 
bute, according as the Lord prospers them, to the lunds ol" the 
anti-slavory societies. One cent a day laid aside for this cause 
by the tliirly-eighl thousand Tree people of colour in this state, 
would amount to the sum of 380 dollars a day, and 138,700 dollars 
a year ! 

We hope you will read and circulate the anti-slavery publica- 
tions. They breathe the spirit oi' peace as well as oi liberty. 

In conclusion, wc lament before God, the prejudices that exist, 
and wc exhort you to be patient and faithful in the discharge of 
every duty. Remember ihat your good conduct will gready aid 
the efforts that are making for tlie abolition of slavery, and the en- 
joyment of your rights. While we will do all we can for you, do 
not neglect to do all you can for yourselves. And let us all look 
continually to God, with faith and holy love. 

Signed on behalf and by order of the Convention for forming the 
Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society, at Ilarrisburg, the 3d day of 
the Second month, (February,) 1837. 

F. J. LE MOYNE, President. 



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